Dustin suddenly felt his body sink, as though he were carrying mountains upon his back — even lifting an arm became nearly impossible. The ground beneath him rolled and heaved, his footing unstable. All around, countless deadly stalagmites and rock walls closed in, sealing off every escape route. Summoning his final breath of true essence, he poured it into his sword. The blade flared with a last clear brilliance; swordlight spun like a wheel, shielding his body. Clang! Clang! Boom! Sword qi clashed madly with stone; shards flew, dust filled the air. Dustin’s sword remained sharp — every swing shattered vast swaths of rock — but the stone seemed endless. The instant he cleaved through one wave, more rose from the earth to take its place. And that crushing gravity field heavily restricted his movement and strength, draining him with every motion. His face turned ghostly pale, breath ragged like an old bellows; the flesh between his thumb and forefinger had split, blood dripping fre...